Fanciful Place
by JTheGoblinKing
Summary: An old Labyrinth fan fiction play thing


Disclaimer: The following is an old Labyrinth fan fiction I wrote for a Labyrinth fan fiction group years. Labyrinth belongs to Henson. Most, if not all, of the Labyrinth fan fiction I am going to post here is at least ten years old, if not older. You will see the original dates they were written placed into these documents. These fan fictions predate the canon of Return to Labyrinth.

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] The Fanciful Place (Part 1 of 4)

From:

Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2001 16:44:53 EDT

--------

This was my first attempt at play. I had never written a play

before, and the first time I posted this I realized that there were flaws in

it, and I altered the name slightly. This is my only play, in one act.

Labyrinth inspired, and Jareth is mentioned, very fondly, and is important to

the story. I have an alternate version that I may try to publish where I had

changed the name Jareth to Jeremy because the original reference was too

vague to sound like our Jareth. And the version I first gave was less

Labyrinth related then it should have been and there were spots where I had

accidentally called Jareth Jeremy as I did in the alternate version. I've

corrected that and made it purely certain that it's Jareth I'm talking about

and not some vague look-alike.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fanciful Place:

A play in one act:

Cast of characters:

Rhyne------------------------------------Rhyne is a somewhat handsome man

at the age of twenty-nine. He is tall

and slender. His hair is a light

copper. His eyes are an icy blue. His

hair is a careless, curly mop on his

head. He wears wire framed

spectacles and somewhat drab

clothes. He is a nonconformist but

clearly a good natured man.

Simon--------------------------------- Simon is a cynical older gentleman. He is

clearly a well off older man. He is

dressed well but is very bland and dull.

Henry-----------------------------------Henry is a peer of Rhyne's. In

appearance he is very similar to Rhyne

only with darker hair and he does not

wear spectacles. He dresses

carelessly and though he used to be

something of a dreamer he seems to

slowly be molding in to something

rather like Simon. He is deeply afraid

of things which are against

convention. He is also a bit of a

brown noser towards Simon. He is

in his early thirties and stands just a

trifle bit shorter then Rhyne.

Marie----------------------------------- Marie is a comely, slender young woman

with wide, intelligent eyes. She has

long, cascading black hair. She

wears a long, old fashioned dress.

She is very fond and somewhat

protective of Rhyne. She and Linda

appear to be in their early twenties.

Linda----------------------------------- Linda is a tall, thin woman. She is very

beautiful but not very practical. She

dresses very similar to Marie. She has

curly red hair. She and Marie appear

to be in their early twenties.

Frederick -------------------------------- Frederick is a naive child. He is

somewhat plump and very simple

minded. He is no more then ten

years old at best.

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] The Fanciful Place (Part 2 of 4)

From:

Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2001 16:45:04 EDT

--------

The Fanciful Place:

A play in one act:

(Scene 1: Act 1 of one)

Setting:

Mansion int: A sitting room, dimly lit at early evening.

Peculiar shadows play upon the wall. Outside a bitter December wind howls as

if wishing to gain entree in to the old, English style, gothic mansion.

Frederick:

(Frederick is Seated upon the sofa nearest to the window. He is small

enough where he can perilously and carelessly position himself, straddling

upon it's back. He is looking out at the gray sky outside of the window

behind him, which means that he is not directing the audience at all.)

Do you think that he'll be able to make it in this weather?

(He asked this to an older gentleman, whom we shall later introduce

as being Simon. To the far right of the stage Simon is seated in an

armchair, cattycorner in the room, nearest the fireplace where a small, cozy

fire burns and crackle. The fire is the reason for the peculiar shadows

playing upon the old, stone brick walls of the room.)

Simon:

(Simon had been smoking upon a pipe. He places down the pipe after a

few moments. He bad completely ignored the boy, hearing the light footfalls

of another entering the room.)

Linda:

(Linda enters the scene, Stage left, through a door on the set,

or at least seeming for the audience. She appears to be worried, her

expression is weary and her lips are sealed in an attempt at

expressionless-ness but this only produces a frown. In her hands rests a

silver tray with a tea set upon it. She places the tray down upon the low

table near to Simon's armchair. She shakes her head doubtfully, perhaps

disapprovingly. )

Simon:

(Simon speaks up to Linda, completely ignoring the boy in the room as

if he were not there at all. It appears through his acts and expression that

he would rather the young boy were not there at all.)

Every year it is the same thing. Ever since his discovered

that book with supposed magical powers. It's not healthy. Someone should

take that thing away from him, I tell you. It's not natural, I tell you!

And how do we know it's even true. Passing in to other realities, exploring

other worlds, in deed! It's all nonsense! It's all just fanciful, these

places that he speaks to us of. He is probably mad. Why he very easily

could be-

Linda:

(Linda Interrupt Simon in mid-sentence, quite abruptly.)

Simon, please!

(Linda appears to have paled in the last few seconds. Stage

lighting upon her, dimming and white can emphasize this effect. )

If Rhyne says that it is possible to travel to these...

these... other places. Then I believe him!

Frederick:

(With a child's naivete and excitement, having not grasped the nature

of hers and Simon's discussion he looks over towards Linda, with a fond,

clearly familiar tone.)

Aunt Linda, do you think that he has brought me anything this time?

Linda:

(It appears that Linda was about to answer him but she is fast

distracted by the sudden appearance of another character.)

Henry:

(A man in his early thirties, with the expression and manners of

one in his mid to late teens enters the scene, stage right, with a less

graceful and more frantic entrance then Linda had provided. His clothes are

disheveled as if he had worn them for two days on. And his voice is

excited.)

He's coming! He's coming! Someone fetch Marie, Rhyne's home!

Linda:

(She stares wide eyed. Her countenance shows wonder. She

stands still with her arms limp at her sides. Her mouth hangs open.)

Frederick:

(Frederick leaps from the sofa and stares at the doorway as another

young man enters in to the room, stage right, the same way that Henry had

entered.)

Simon:

(Simon's expression remains entirely placid and emotionless as it

had from the start.)

Rhyne:

(Rhyne walks in to the room, stage left. He is dressed in

travelers' clothes. His hair is a curly, tangled mess.)

Hello, everyone! You would not believe it!

(Rhyne makes wide and exaggerated hand gestures to elaborate on this.)

Simon:

(He has shifted his position. He appears to be bored.

His head rests in his hand. His elbow of the arm attached to that hand is

upon the arm of the chair that he is seated in. He mutters in to his hand,

yet it is loud enough for the others to obviously hear him but politely

ignore his cynical nature.)

In deed...

Marie:

(Marie enters the room from another door, stage right. A few

meters in front of where Simon is seated. She exclaims in pure delight at

the sight of Rhyne.)

Rhyne!

Rhyne:

(Rhyne's expression exactly matches Marie's. He returns the

excitedly happy exclamation as he opens his arms wide for an embrace.)

Marie!

Marie:

(Marie rushes in to Rhyne's arms, embracing him tightly.)

Rhyne:

(Rhyne returns her embrace with a giddy chuckle.)

Marie:

(As she pulls from his arms and looks in to his eyes.)

Oh, it is so good to see you again, and to hear you laugh again, dear

brother.

(She moves over to the sofa and seats herself.)

Linda:

(Linda sits down beside Marie. Her hands rest upon her lap. She

raises her hand just once before placing it back upon her lap, to gesture for

Frederick to sit beside her.)

Frederick:

(Frederick acknowledges the implication and sits down between Linda

and Marie upon the sofa, squirming a bit. It is clear that the boy is unused

to sitting still for very long and is uncomfortable between these two young

women.)

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] The Fanciful Place (Part 3 of 4)

From:

Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2001 16:45:17 EDT

--------

Rhyne:

(Rhyne takes center stage, standing in the middle of the room, as

if waiting for something to be said or done for him to speak or act upon it.)

Marie:

(Marie leans forward.)

Oh, Rhyne you have seen so many strange and wonderful things

on these journeys in to these other worlds. You've told us fantastic stories

of worlds made of mind boggling, and surreal puzzles and enigmas, castles,

and one world of Elfin like creatures. Do please tell us what did you see

this time?

Henry:

(Henry moves like a loyal lap dog as he stands along side

Simon's armchair. He faces Rhyne. His tone is patronizing, and scoffing.)

Oh, yes, Rhyne. Do tell us.

(His eyes shift, bemused, towards Simon. He seems to relish the

situation.)

Simon:

(Sitting up straight now.)

Bah! Faery tales, all of it, these fanciful places. And I think

you're all mad for even humouring this rubbish!

Marie:

(Marie's eyes shift to Simon. Her expression is one of scorn and

dislike. She practically hisses.)

Simon, hush.

Rhyne:

(Rhyne's good spirits are unaltered by Simon's cynicism or

apparent bitterness towards him. In fact, as he faces Marie, Frederick and

Linda it seems that he has chosen, unconsciously to completely ignore Henry

and Simon all together. His expression and voice are chipper in sound and

appearance. He emphasizes when he speaks, in strange and sudden moments of

seemingly un-required excitement with exaggerated arm and hand gestures which

make what he says seem all the more grand to his audience.)

Well, it was the most fantastic thing. I came to this other world.

It was the most peculiar thing that I had ever seen. It was very much like

our world, in it's people, shape and substance but there was something

metaphysically different.

Linda:

(Linda looks upon Rhyne with wonder. She had been smoothing out

the lap of her dress with her dainty little hand.)

Metaphysically different? How so?

Rhyne:

Oh, well first let me tell you of what I did there, and then I'll

tell you of the strange differences that I saw.

Henry:

(Henry folds his arms. His tone is rather snobbish and similar to

Simon's cynical way.)

All right, Rhyne, tell us.

Rhyne:

First off, upon my arriving in to this strange new world of subtle

quirks and odd fancies I met the most unusual chap. And he was peculiar even

to the population there, let me tell you. His name was Jareth.

(He gestures with his hands towards his own features as he

describes Jareth's features.)

He had the most unusual way abou him, he did.

His eyes were the most peculiar shade. Jareth had peculiar

yet very alluring, slightly mismatched eyes. His eyes were blue, but

strangely mismatched in that his left pupil was just a bit enlarged. He had

gorgeous, long, yellow blond hair that hung lightly spiked and feathered on

his head. Jareth wore eccentric garments.

Jareth often wore tight black trousers. He wore a silk white

shirt with an opened 'V' neck lined collar. On his neck he wore on a chain;

hanging from his neck on this chain he wore a golden cicle pendent with the

silver coin within it's center. It looked like a triangular thing with it's

sides in-caved.

He wore leather boots and leather gloves over his long

slender hands. He was a truly a handsome creature. He looked to be about the

age of about thirty-eight, maybe thirty-nine years old.

He was fairly tall and thin with a feline like grace about

him.

Henry:

(Henry humours Rhyne as a friend would to a man going mad.)

But surely, Rhyne, there are men in our world with unusual

eyes and eccentric tastes in fashion and style. I'll admit that it's unusual

but it is not an oddity of circumstance.

Rhyne:

(Rhyne Glances over at Henry once and then looks back to

Linda, Frederick and Marie.)

In deed this is so. But none, I assure you, quite like Jareth.

Henry:

Then please-

(He gestures towards Rhyne with a careless motion of his arm.)

-carry on.

Rhyne:

(Rhyne looks back at Henry once.)

I shall.

(Rhyne returned his gaze to the three upon the sofa.)

Anyway, there was a cat-like grace to this Jareth fellow.

From his narrow, wiry frame to his high cheekbones, I could

swear to you that he was no ordinary creature, even for there. Why, I almost

suspected that he was in fact merely a visitor, such as myself, to that

world. I dared not confront him on this though for fear= that I may have been

mistaken. But the more I think on it, the more I am certain that he was not

from that reality as surely as I, myself was only visiting.

(He slams his right fist in to his left hand before carrying on. He

shakes his head in a serious expression but then smiles once more.)

Well, he appeared to be in his late thirties, I should think,

though there was a boyish-ness to him that I simply can not explain.

It could have been the way his smile always seemed like such

a mischievous, playful, boyish smile. It was like a Cheshire cat's grin, it

was. His hair was truly this incredible yellow colour, like lemon drops in a

sweet shoppe window, or the sunlight in mid-summer. You would think him the

God Apollo by the way it shown like the very sun No, not from the God of the

sun, he was. He was no present from Apollo though Apollo must have blessed

him well with the gift for poetic ability, mind you. I dare say he must have

been some sort of messenger from Morphious, the God of dreams. Jareth, by

nature, I would say, would serve no man or deity but by nature I would think

he'd bend for the will of The God of dreams, for dreams were a key element to

winning Jareth's favour. And I can't quite put my finger on it, but I dare

say there was something almost... Magical about him.

Frederick:

(This has suddenly caught Frederick's interests. The boy seems

fascinated by any possible mention of the occult and any word said in the

slightest reference to such things causes his eyes to widen and for him to

lean forward slightly before after a moment or so retracting back against the

back cushions of the sofa.)

Magick? You think he was a sorcerer then, Rhyne?

(It appears that Frederick would take Rhyne's word as the

holy truth.)

Rhyne:

He just may well could have been, Frederick.

I don't know. I can't know for certain. Anyway, this handsome

chap, he was like an Adonis...

(He seems to lose himself in a dreamy thought, his eyes appear

to be glazing over before he manages to return to reality, and to= his story,

a few seconds later, not quite where he had left off. It seems that he had

been savouring a fond memory that he would rather never forget for th= e rest

of his life.)

Jareth and I, he traveled wi= th me quite a bit all over that

most remarkable and perplexing little world. He seemed to thoroughly enjoy my

amazement at it all, though I told him it was simply because I had never

traveled much a as lad and wished to now. You would have admired his voice,

Marie. He could sing like no other-

Simon:

(Simon interrupted Rhyne in mid-sentence.)

My God, Rhyne!

Rhyne:

(Rhyne is momentarily distracted by Simon. He turns to face

him.)

Hmmm?

Simon:

The way you speak of this man, one might think that you were in

love with him, Rhyne

Rhyne:

(A subtle blush comes in to Rhyne's cheeks as he averts his

eyes from Simon. He clears his throat, his index finger and thumb of his

right hand fumble with the edge of his shirt collar. It seems apparent that

there was some sort of romance between Rhyne and this Jareth that he has

spoken so mysterious and fondly of.)

Henry:

(Henry steps towards Rhyne, pointing an accusing finger at him.)

I knew it! I knew it!

(He looks towards Linda and Marie, and then looking back at

Simon before returning his gaze to Rhyne.)

I told you! I told you all, didn't I? Didn't I? I told you, I

did! I knew it. I knew it! I just knew it! I always knew. Rhyne has always

been the flashing, flamboyant and decadent tart! He's always preferred boys

to breasts! Rhyne:

(Rhyne's smile does not waver, his tone is teasing and without

malice.)

Honestly, Henry, is this the truth, do you think? Or is it

simply what you wish to believe?

(He makes a nonchalant hand gesture.)

Anyway, my dear fellow, whether or not I fancy a

handsome man or a pretty young girl for my caprice romances, that is not of

your concern, now is it? And I'll confess before you now, that I've had my

decent share of both and they were immensely pleasurable! Henry:

(Henry stares stunned. His mouth hangs open. He had not

expected such a confession. He had under estimated Rhyne's sense of self and

lack of conventional shame. He retracts back beside Simon's armchair, unable

to think things through properly.)

Linda:

(Linda stares in what appears to be pure shock.)

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] The Fanciful Place (Part 4 of 4)

From:

Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2001 16:45:33 EDT

--------

Frederick:

(Frederick stares blankly. He does not quite u= nderstand what

has just been said.)

Simon:

(His emotionless expression has not changed. Simon seems very

indifferent.)

Marie:

(Marie giggles, her small hand is over her mouth. All eyes seem to

turn upon her in this awkward, prolonging silence that has thankfully been

broken. )

Rhyne was never one for social constraints, convention, or public

conformity, the ideals of the majority, or the limitations of the individual

imposed upon him by this world. That is what I have always admired about

him. He is the perfect free spirit. His morals were designed to harm no one

but to please himself without the self-righteous fears of ages passed!

(Marie stands up.)

I applaud your free spirit, darling! Well done in doing as you

please! Well done!

(Marie claps her hands a few times before seating herself back

on to the sofa.)

Rhyne:

(Rhyne bows to her like a true gentleman.)

Thank you, love.

Marie:

Oh, please Rhyne, please do carry on with your story.

Linda:

(Linda seems to have momentarily forgotten the scandalous "Free

spirit" talk.)

Oh, yes, Rhyne. Please do.

Rhyne:

Now, I simply must tell you of the unusual nature of this

world that I visited! The fact is it exists solely upon the existence of

dreamers.

Henry:

Impossible!

Simon:

That's Preposterous!

Rhyne:

It's the God's honest truth! I swear it!

Simon:

Now, you're just talking nonsense and using the lord's name in

vain, I might add. Dreamers are idle. They are fanciers, that's all. They

sit and squander their lives away doing nothing more then escaping away from

reality as easily as a drunkard does with a bottle.

Henry:

Rhyne, everyone knows that it is best that to make one's dreams a

reality then to flitter one's reality away dreaming.

Rhyne:

That's true enough but if a dreamer acts upon his dreams then

the dreams of the dreamer and the dreamer's life is not a waste at all.

Allow me to explain it, the necessity of dreamers and their dreams within

this world that I have just come from.

Simon:

Please, by all means, do.

Rhyne:

That world can't move forward without dreams. Dreamers are

the ones who conceive of the ideas that cause that world to carry on as it

does. The world needs it's dreamers. Without them nothing can be sustained.

For if the world does not perpetually move forward it would surely die. The

universe that it exists within, much like our own, is ever expanding,

remaining the same and yet changing. Now if something does not change, does

not consent or bend to change it would break by it.

Without the dreams of the dreamers to create, to innovate, and

improve upon it's society that world would surely stagnate and die. You see,

like a shark in water, if it does not carry on moving, which it can only

accomplish by the will of dreams, it would die.

Dreams are the most precious things to that world of which I

speak. And the saddest tragedy of this world that I am telling you of, is

that though dreamers are as precious as gem stones there, they are

exceedingly rare. And the dreamers, the necessity for that world's survival,

are a dying lot. They are very nearly extinct.

Simon:

(Simon finally stands up and reveals his ability to show passion

as Rhyne has done all along.)

This is all rubbish, I tell you! It's all nonsense. Dreamers are

useless and idle. There are those who act, and there are those who sleep.

Those in the dreaming world accomplish nothing within the waking! You're an

idle fool, Rhyne and you say all this to appease your restless spirit to

justify the fact that you are nothing more then an idle dreamer, yourself and

you shall accomplish NOTHING by it! And you tell us these ridiculous stories

of this impossible, fanciful place.

Rhyne:

(Finally now Rhyne is angry. He steps towards Simon and the two are

nearly nose to nose.)

You cynical old fool! Don't you see? It's you, it's you and your

kind that are destroying our world as we know it. Your cynicism is a rouse

to hide your discontentment with the world around you!

(Rhyne makes a grand gesture around the room.)

You embrace your cynical nature at your discontentment of this

reality because to dream of anything better would break your heart. You are

too afraid. You're nothing more then a coward. A coward, that's what you

are. You are afraid to act upon any, if any impulse to change this world

around you!

I wept when I returned here. I wept because I knew that you and

your bitter, discontented, broken hearted, self-pitying, impassive, and

inactive, dispassionate lot were behind it all.

Linda:

(Linda stands up. She looks legitimately worried.)

Behind what, Rhyne?

Rhyne:

(Rhyne sighs deeply. He reaches up and his fingers rake through

his long bangs that brush in to his eyes. His arms then drop to his sides.

His tone is quiet, rather like that of a man in mourning.)

Our world is dying.

Marie:

(Marie gasps.)

What? Why? How?

(Marie stands up and walks towards Rhyne.)

Are you certain?

Rhyne:

(Rhyne nods solemnly.)

Yes.... You see...

(Rhyne takes a deep breath before continuing on.)

Our world does often enough give birth to dreamers but it is

creatures such as Simon and Henry here that destroy them. I believe that may

be why I despise them so, and everything that they stand for.

You see, our dreamers do not stand a chance within our world.

The cynics knock them down or their wills are broken. These dreamers, they

make wonderful dreams and have ideas that could carry our world in to a new

age of enlightenment and thought provoking wonder and mysteries to explore

within our universe and within ourselves. But some are very weak. And they

surrender their own dreams and ideas for the ideals and desires of others and

then nothing of value can be accomplished. And they often die young, of a

broken heart, for in having surrendered their own dreamed and ideals for the

sake of the ideals and wants of others they can never truly be happy.

Oh, they often don't die, sometimes their fates are far crueler.

Sometimes they are transformed.

Frederick:

(Frederick had been watching all of this in confused wonder.)

Transformed? You mean like in the faery story where the prince

was turned in to a hideous beast?

Rhyne:

(Rhyne nods to Frederick)

Yes, rather. Only worse off. They lose their dreams and therefor

can't touch others. They can't change their world or cause it to move

forward. They can't share their dreams, ideas or beliefs with anyone else

for those things are lost to them. They become empty. They seem to me,

alone, like a jar of bright paint that had been poured out in to a river.

The bright colours that were never used only wash away and fade in the

lapping current of cold, splashing waves. The jar of paint had so much

potential to be used to create things of wonder and beauty and thought but

that was all lost...

And these empty creatures, these former dreamers, they become

creatures of mass production, cynical, indifferent, dispassionate, and

feinding, out to destroy the last of the dreamers. And these former beings

of creation become monsters of destruction out of jealousy for the potential

that they subconsciously see within other dreamers.

Their minds become bent and corrupted. Their spirits become

hideous. It's a terrible cycle, the birth and de-evolution of a dreamer in

to something monstrous to be the cause of the de-evolution of other dreamers.

And so THESE creatures exist!

(Now it was Rhyne's turn to point the accusing finger, and this

time it was justly pointed towards Simon and Henry.)

Henry:

(Henry stared at Rhyne with a blank expression of shock.)

Simon:

(Simon stared at Rhyne with a blank expression of shock.)

Marie:

Rhyne, if our world is doomed, as you say it is, and you had

been so very happy there with this Jareth fellow why did you come back?

Linda:

Yes, why?

Rhyne:

I shall tell you why, though I must confess now that I did

contemplate staying there. While with Jareth, I came to the revelation of

the fault of our world's existence which would surely lead to it's inevitable

destruction.

I decided to return, but this is not my home any longer that I have

had a taste of that strange other world.

(Rhyne shook his head.)

This world is incredibly drab and dreary in comparison. Where as

that world is pigmented in all sorts of vibrant colours and shades, this

world may as well have been painted by a melancholy artist in shades of gray,

black, and white pastels.

I decided that I would choose a handful of dreamers to return

with me to that other world as to grant them the true chance that they

honestly deserve as does that fantastic other world.

(Rhyne suddenly smiled.)

I have decided to take you with me. Marie, Linda, and

Frederick.

(Rhyne looked over at Henry.)

That which has been created can be destroyed, and that which has

fallen can rise again. If you are willing to embrace your dreams and your

sense of self, Henry, you may come with us.

Henry:

(Henry looked solemn and emotionally wounded for a brief moment. He

then looked up in to Rhyne's eyes, for Rhyne was always a few centimeters

taller then he.)

What is this fantastical other place?

Rhyne:

(Rhyne Smiled broadly as he wraps an arm around Henry.)

I think you might like it. It is a place of great

wonder. It's called Earth. Earth, my friend, it's called Earth.

(The end.)


End file.
